my anger is a sign of disgust with myself
assuming serenade
i hear the sirens on their way

the chemicals inside of me
just kept on swimming through my veins
maybe i should make a move
and try to leave this all behind

i listen to the absence of noise
dead summer breeze
i'm inflated with suspicions

seems i've identified again
the criminal of my intent
imagine exercise in bed
the same routine to reinvent

i'm just a cold face on the street
slow and somber in my patterns
i'm just a friend you'll never meet
i am the love that never happens

my days exist in meaningless ways
i need a way to shake this
i'm making lost time famous

my heart goes rushing to my head
whatever happened to me
weeks went forward, i'm aware
that i've been living in reverse

i always hesitate
like the future is engraved
root tear grew really deep, their
network beneath the city streets
it's a structured kind of madness

i always turn away
back to a safer faith

i always hesitate


Lyrics submitted by helifino

Criminal song meanings
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5 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    Quite possibly my favorite song by Chris.

    ghoststorieson September 10, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i know how this song feels, i probably don't feel exactly like this guy, but it seems like to me that this song represents (to me) that part of me that is living in a fear of maybe something different, due to being hesitant to even much of the good that may come into ones life due to past failure, like almost feeling like everything is engraved and you know how it turns out anyways, and that in turning to a safer faith, is to be turning to almost a solititude, and a safety- within oneself- outside of the public.

    not sure what he meant, but it's what the song means to me.

    brian wilsonon June 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    My favorite Lawrence Arms song. I think this is about being emotionally dead and unhappy and wanting to change, but being too fearful to do so.

    xFaithon March 23, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "I think this is about being emotionally dead and unhappy and wanting to change, but being too fearful to do so."

    ... I agree.i feel it's about never being happy with yourself or knowing what to do about it, thus... " imagine exercise in bed the same routine to reinvent," which is kind of like being in bed and never giving up the mental workout of revisioning or "reinventing" one's character... BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL SONG!!!! :)

    xshoutoutxon October 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Not to be a dick, but I think there are a few corrections with the lyrics. It sounds like he's saying "a stewing serenade" and I can definitely hear "weeks BEND forward." Could be wrong, but that's what it sounds like with headphones.

    asSTARSfallxon July 19, 2010   Link

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